Cigarette pack

ABSTRACT

A (cigarette) pack, in particular a hinge-lid box ( 10 ), with an outer wrapper ( 24 ) made of thin, transparent film includes a printing carrier ( 30 ) which is arranged, between the hinge-lid box ( 10 ) and outer wrapper ( 24 ), with (zigzag) folding. The printing carrier ( 30 ) is positioned in the region of an end wall ( 22 ) such that automatic unfolding takes place when the outer wrapper ( 24 ) is opened.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/622,720 filed Nov. 11,2000; now U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,918 dated Jun. 11, 2002, which is a 371 ofPCT/EP99/01106 filed Feb. 20, 1999 the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cigarette pack having an outer wrapper madeof transparent film, a printing carrier or coupon comprising a separateblank being arranged between the pack and the outer wrapper.

In particular in the case of cigarette packs, there is an increasingneed for the packs to be assigned printing carriers which containinformation, serve for advertising purposes or else provide eligibilityfor participating in prize draws etc. In the case of cigarette packs,which are usually provided with an outer wrapper made of transparentfilm, it is advantageous for the printing carrier (coupon) to bepositioned between the pack and the outer wrapper. This means that theprinting carrier can be seen from the outside when the pack unit isintact.

Packs made of cellophane or plastic, for example for accommodatingtablets, which are provided with a film wrapper or encircling filmstrip, are known. Leaflets or product information are/is placed, as thefolded printing carrier, in an outer recess of the pack and preferablyadhesively bonded to said pack, it being possible for the printingcarrier to be unfolded manually, following removal of the outer wrapper,without the pack being opened (GB 2 304 671).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention, in the case of a pack or pack unitmentioned in the introduction, is to design and arrange the printingcarrier such that more information can be given by way of the printingcarrier and there is an improvement in presentation when the pack isopened for the first time. In particular, the intention is for theprinting carrier to unfold when the outer wrapper is removed.

In order to achieve this object, the pack according to the invention ischaracterized in that the printing carrier is connected to the pack, onthe one hand, and to the outer wrapper, on the other hand, a part of theprinting carrier which is directed towards the pack, namely a foldingsection, being connected to the pack and a folding section which isdirected towards the outer wrapper being connected to the outer wrapper,preferably by spots of glue.

By virtue of the folded arrangement of the printing carrier, the lattermay be designed as a comparatively long, strip-like blank which may holda considerable amount of different information, if appropriatecorresponding to a subdivision into sections. The zigzag foldingfacilitates the unfolding of the blank or printing carrier. In thefolded state, the printing carrier forms a structure which has a smallsurface area and, overall, takes up only a small amount of space.

A special feature is that the configuration of the (folded) printingcarrier is coordinated with the design of the pack such that, when thepack is opened or used for the first time, the printing carrier isunfolded automatically. For this purpose, the printing carrier isconnected in an easily releasable manner to the pack, on the one hand,and to the wrapper, on the other hand. When part of the wrapper isremoved, the printing carrier is unfolded, in particular by virtue of a(top) cap of the outer wrapper being removed.

An exemplary embodiment of the printing carrier and of a pack providedwith said printing carrier is explained in more detail hereinbelow withreference to the drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a (cigarette) pack with afolded printing carrier,

FIG. 2 shows the pack according to FIG. 1 with an outer wrapper,

FIG. 3 shows a blank for a printing carrier in the spread-out state,

FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration of a printing carrier folded inzigzag form, and

FIG. 5 shows a side view of a (cigarette) pack as the latter is opened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The details illustrated in the drawings relate to cigarette packs of thehinge-lid box type 10. Such a pack consists of (thin) cardboard. Thecuboidal hinge-lid box 10 comprises a (bottom) box part 11 and a (top)lid 12. The box part 11 is bounded by a front wall 13, an opposite, rearwall 14, by narrow, upright side walls 15, 16 and by a base wall 17.Correspondingly, the lid 12 comprises a lid front wall 18, a lid rearwall 19, narrow lid side walls 20, 21, which adjoin the side walls 15,16, and a top end wall 22 opposite the base wall 17. The box part 11 andlid 12 are connected to one another with swing action by an articulationline 23 in the region of the rear wall 14 and the lid rear wall 19.

Before it is used for the first time, the pack or hinge-lid box 10formed in this way is enclosed by an outer wrapper 24. The latterconsists of thin, transparent film. The outer wrapper 24 encloses theentire hinge-lid box 10, but it should fit on all sides, the top outerend wall 25 being formed in the process.

For the purpose of opening the pack unit, comprising hinge-lid box 10and outer wrapper 24, for the first time, part of the outer wrapper 24is removed. For this purpose, the outer wrapper 24 is provided, in a topregion, with an encircling tear-open strip 26. The latter is connectedto the blank of the outer wrapper 24 in a known matter by adhesivebonding or sealing. In the region of one side wall, a free end of thetear-open strip 26 is provided with a grip tab 27 which can be grippedby hand. Said grip tab is gripped for the purpose of opening the outerwrapper 24 with the aid of the tear-open strip 26.

The tear-open strip 26 is arranged such that a top sub-region of theouter wrapper 24, namely a cap 28, is severed from the bottom part ofthe same. Following the severing operation, said cap can be lifted offupwards from the pack or hinge-lid box 10 (FIG. 5). This means that atleast the lid 12 is completely exposed, with result that access to thepack contents is possible by virtue of the lid 12 being opened. Acup-like bottom film part 29 may remain on the hinge-lid box 10 or onthe box part 11.

The pack unit, which comprises the pack or hinge-lid box 10 and theouter wrapper 24, is assigned a printing carrier 30. The lattercomprises a thin blank (FIG. 3), in particular made of paper. Theprinting carrier 30 is provided on one side or both sides with printingwhich contains information, advertising, etc. However, it is alsopossible for the printing carrier 30 to serve wholly or in part as acoupon for participation in prize draws or the like.

The blank of the printing carrier 30 is an elongate, strip-likearrangement (FIG. 3). By way of transversely directed folding lines 31,the printing carrier 30 can be folded together to form a comparativelysmall, compact assembly (FIG. 4). Folding is carried out such thatsections 32 of the printing carrier 30, said sections being bounded byfolding lines 31, are folded in zigzag form or in the manner of anaccordion.

The printing carrier 30 is expediently prefabricated in the factory,that is to say folded and delivered in the ready-for-packaging state. Inorder to ensure the folded position, there is provided, according toFIG. 4, a small, unobtrusive connecting means, namely, for example, astrip of glue 33, a small tape or the like. Said strip of glue 33 servesmerely for holding the folded printing carrier 30 together duringtransportation, storage and packaging.

The folded printing carrier 30 is positioned between the pack orhinge-lid box 10 and the outer wrapper 24. The printing carrier 30 isadvantageously arranged in the region of the end wall 22 of the lid,namely between said end wall 22, on the one hand, and the outer end wall25 of the outer wrapper. The printing carrier 30 is dimensioned suchthat, following folding, that is to say in the position according toFIG. 4, the surface area of the end wall 22 is not exceeded. In thepresent exemplary embodiment, the printing carrier 30 is ofapproximately the same width as the end wall 22 and is slightly shorterthan the same.

The printing carrier 30 is fitted, namely fixed, in a specific mannersuch that the printing carrier 30 is unfolded automatically when thepack unit is opened. For this purpose, a leg 34, which is directedtowards the end wall 22—a border zone of the blank according to FIG.3—is connected to the end wall 22 in an easily releasable manner. Anopposite, border-side leg 35 is connected correspondingly to the innerside of outer end wall 25. The connection can take place by spots ofglue 36. The spots of glue 36 are dimensioned and formed such that theprinting carrier 30 can easily be released from the outer wrapper 24 andthe hinge-lid box 10 once the outer wrapper 24 has been opened. Inparticular, said glue may be one with peeling properties.

The positioning of the printing carrier 30 and the folding of the sameensure automatic unfolding when the outer wrapper 24 is opened by virtueof the cap 28 being drawn off. The printing carrier 30 is fixed in saidcap 28, with result that, when the cap is lifted off from the pack orhinge-lid box 10 (FIG. 5), the printing carrier 30 is unfolded as resultof being connected to the end wall 22.

Following removal of the printing carrier 30, the hinge-lid box 10 isutilized in the conventional manner.

List of Designations

10 Hinge-lid box 11 Box part 12 Lid 13 Front wall 14 Rear wall 15 Sidewall 16 Side wall 17 Base wall 18 Lid front wall 19 Lid rear wall 20 Lidside wall 21 Lid side wall 22 End wall 23 Articulation line 24 Outerwrapper 25 Outer end wall 26 Tear-open strip 27 Grip tab 28 Cap 29Bottom film part 30 Printing carrier 31 Folding line 32 Section 33 Stripof glue 34 Leg 35 Leg 36 Spot of glue

What is claimed is:
 1. A cigarette pack (10) with an outer wrapper (24)made of transparent film and with a tear-open strip (26) running aroundthe pack (10) on the outer wrapper (24) for the purpose of severing anupper cap (28) of the outer wrapper (24), a printing carrier (30) orcoupon being disposed between the pack (10) and the outer wrapper,wherein: a) the printing carrier (30) is folded to form at least twofolded sections or legs (34, 35), one of which faces toward the pack,and the other of which faces toward the outer wrapper; b) the printingcarrier (30) is removably connected to the pack (10) in a region of theone folded section or leg (34) facing toward the pack; c) the printingcarrier (30) is also connected to the outer wrapper (24) in a region ofthe other folded section or leg (35) facing toward the outer wrapper(24); and d) the printing carrier (30) or one of its legs (35) isconnected to the outer wrapper (24) in a region of the upper cap (28)which is to be severed by the tear-open strip (26).
 2. The cigarettepack according to claim 1, wherein the printing carrier is removablyconnected to the pack (10) by small or easily dissolvable glue beads(36).